As I write this, spring is just around the corner, or so I tell myself. As I look out the window, it does not look like the first week in April, especially after just moving 8-10” of wet snow out of the way. However, we get the crop planted every year, sometimes it just gets done a lot faster than what we really want it to. It is important that you have discussed your spring plans with Brooks, as we will really be under the gun to help get your needs taken care of in a timely manner. Organization will be paramount in an orderly spring work plan. Please help us, help you, by having your plans and needs on Brooks’ radar.

I want to thank all of you for your sympathy and understanding over the last several weeks, with the passing of my Father. It is very much appreciated! I know that during this period I have had time to think, reflect, and truly understand what is important. I am very fortunate to have been blessed with the parents and family that I have had. My three younger brothers and I were all raised with the idea that the three most important things in our life are God, Family and “The Golden Rule”. I am proud of the fact that we have passed those same values onto our next generation, and that they are, in turn, passing it onto their children. What a legacy for a quiet, hard working farmer that lived his life without complaining, compromising his morals, or compromising his integrity for over 86 years. For as quiet as my Dad was, he was an excellent teacher. Two of the lessons I learned from him were, (1) “A person’s worth in life is not measured by how much they are able to gather, but rather by how much they sow” and, (2) “It is the right thing do”. These are life lessons for all of us, including our family at Equity Elevator. Our mission at Equity is to help make your life better.

We are here to be of service to you, our members, and our community. I know I have said it before, but I truly believe that “Equity Elevator is good for the Wood Lake Community and the Wood Lake Community is good for Equity Elevator”. In order to be successful, it is necessary to work together. Equity tries hard to be a good citizen by paying taxes, donating to and supporting our local schools, churches, 4-H, FFA, fire department, first responders, and numerous other organizations, all part of our civic responsibility to be a good citizen. In fact, several of our employees are involved with different service organizations. A perfect example of “sowing” is Brooks and Reed. On Friday, March 30, both of these guys spent an early morning and part of the day fighting a wooden grain elevator fire in Hanley Falls. Not because they had to, but “It was the right thing to do”.

As we head into spring, we want to make sure we give credit to those who are doing the job! MAY IS BEEF MONTH and we want to salute all of you that produce the best beef in the world, bar none. It is amazing that as demanding as the consuming public is, you rise to the occasion and supply us with the safest, most economical and delicious beef, steak or hamburger, in the world.

Another group that deserves our utmost respect is the dairy farmer. JUNE IS DAIRY MONTH, but the dairy farmers work 365 days a year to supply us with the safest and tastiest milk, cheese and ice cream in the world. I want everyone to personally thank a dairy producer for their dedication to supplying the products that we all enjoy every day (and we do not have to get up at 4:00 AM every day to make it happen).